Hi! I’m Nicole, and I’m the newest member of the Preservation Lab.
When I was interviewing for the position of Conservation Assistant, I did a deep dive into what preservation and conservation really mean. I read through blog posts and perused the Lab’s Instagram, trying to get a grasp on what exactly the lab did. Little did I know, these snapshots into lab life hardly even scratched the surface.
Materials and Tools
My first week as a Conservation Assistant was full of learning, from what types of boards and paper supplies are available, to how to create a pamphlet binder and sew music scores. I had no idea there were so many types of paper out there, and I was ignorant about how many tools there exist simply to cut these pieces of paper. My hand skills were immediately put to the test with learning the stitches used to attach pamphlets to protective premade binders, which create a hard cover for these otherwise soft materials. I was also instructed in which methods of cutting are best for which practices and types of paper, such as board shears for larger pieces of Bristol or corrugated board, scalpels and Olfas for small, precision cutting, and even a corner cutter to clean up the corners of your pamphlet binders!
Sewing parts of a music score with a needle and thread.
Enclosures
Over the next few weeks, I was thrust into a whole new world of enclosures after learning about pamphlet binders and music scores. Enclosures are typically boxes that are used to keep a book or object safe from light, dust, and other environmental factors that can harm the item over time.
Tuxedo boxes
Creating tuxedo boxes was an exciting and fun challenge, as getting all the measurements right and being precise is so important. These boxes take a lot of focus to make, and attaching the two pieces of board can be daunting, as you must make sure not to overlap the folds and ruin the whole box.
A finished tuxedo box on the left, and the two pieces of an unfinished tuxedo box opened to show the full spread of the box on the right.
Corrugated Clamshells
Corrugated clamshell boxes came next, with their in depth measuring and precision crimping and cutting. Like a tuxedo box, these boxes offer better storage from light and dust, and are a more structured enclosure. Where they differ, though, is they are made from corrugated board rather than Bristol board, and this offers more support to items that need a little boost of structural help. These boxes are made from one piece of board that is cut and folded into a clam-like box that opens on one end and is attached at the spine.
A corrugated clamshell during the construction process. This clamshell still needs it’s ends glued in to create it’s box shape.
General Collections Treatment
My final big learning project was cloth tape removal, which was something completely different, making it very enjoyable to learn. Cloth tape removal is taking off old adhesive tape that has been applied to materials that is now falling apart. To remove cloth tape, a poultice of methyl cellulose is applied in thirds to the tape. Introducing moisture to the adhesive allows you to slowly and carefully use a Casselli microspatula to loosen and remove the tape, leaving behind only the original materials.
An old pamphlet that’s been bound together with cloth tape in the middle of the removal process. Weights hold down pieces of Mylar to keep the pamphlet cover from absorbing any of the poultice. The cloth tape is the grey strip on the right of the pamphlet, and you can see where some of the tape has been removed and what still needs to be done.
Final Impressions
I’ve learned so much over my first month at the lab, but so far corrugated clamshells have been my favorite. It’s been so fun to grow my hand skills and to see how much of a difference one month can make, and I’m so excited to expand my horizons and learn more about the lab in the upcoming months!
This semester the Preservation Lab is collaborating with the English department and Associate Professor Gary Weissman to teach ENGL 3097 – Book Arts. The experiential learning portion of the course is taught in the Preservation Lab by Holly Prochaska, with much assistance from Jessica Ebert, Catarina Figueirinhas, and Hyacinth Tucker. The course offers students a foundation in the history of the codex, artists’ books, and zines, as well as a hands-on introduction to paper making, bookbinding, and printing.
Last week the students finally got their hands on our beloved board-shears while making a tux box to house the many models they constructed during the course.
It has been a fun and rewarding spring thanks to the enthusiasm of our 12 students!
If you are interested in learning more about the experiential learning portion of the Book Arts curriculum, please reach out to holly.prochaska@uc.edu.
In libraries, we traditionally house rectangular, book-shaped materials. So when a collection of buttons, ribbons and medals entered the lab from the Public Library, our eyes widened as we peered inside the chaos filled box! Initially, we were unsure of how to make order of all the parts for better storage.
Collection of political ephemera before preservation housing, call number 737.242097 C6971 1841
This collection of political ephemera was received in a non-archival black banker’s box. It consisted of approximately 13 ribbons, 17 pinback buttons, and 9 metals dating to the late 1800’s and onward.
In the late 19th century, political ephemera like this was once prolific and cheap to produce. It wasn’t until the rise of the celluloid (plastic) button that political ribbons fell out of fashion. After many years of storage, the ribbons were creased, crumpled and interspersed with heavy medals, sharp pins, and acidic envelopes. All components were in need of archival storage containers for long-term preservation, to separate the parts to keep them from damaging each other and to make them easier to handle.
Ashleigh and Chris took on the challenge of housing these non-traditional library materials so as to facilitate future display and exhibition.
Evaluation
Being a book and paper conservator (not an objects or textile conservator!), Ashleigh first started by brainstorming housing options:
Prior storage solutions by the lab were referenced, such as:
Medals mounted with polyester strapping to a cloth covered mat
A collection of steamboat keys mounted with ties to corrugated board supports
A pin mounted to a cloth covered support, stored within a pamphlet binder
After consulting with the Cincinnati Art Museum textile conservator, Obie Linn, Ashleigh quickly ruled out placing silk ribbons into polyester sleeves or bags since static cling issues could be detrimental to fragile fabric. Storing the items within foam recesses was suggested as an alternative.
Some of the buttons and medals were magnetic, so magnets were considered to prevent parts from sliding (such as how tin type photographs can be non-adhesively mounted with rare earth magnets).
Other components that were not magnetic could be secured with ties or straps.
Small metal buttons without fabric (that could easily become lost!) were candidates to store in baggies, similarly to how the University of Kansas Libraries describe housing this collection of pins on their blog.
It also became clear that minor treatment was needed including surface cleaning and humidification to reduce creasing in the ribbons and to encourage proper orientation of the parts during storage. This would also help prepare the items for future exhibition.
Since many parts had varying needs, the items were first grouped by size, type, and if they were magnetic. Once grouped, standardized mount sizes were determined so that no matter what size the ribbons were, they would all fit together inside the same sized box. Additionally, a few ribbons were grouped together on one mount to save space.
Items being evaluated and grouped into standardized support sizes
Rudimentary plans were drawn to decide how the groups and parts would eventually be configured into one enclosure. For example, what would make more sense for library storage on a shelf – to orient the final enclosure as a rectangle or square? We went with a rectangle since many shelves at the library have a narrow depth.
Custom Mat Board Mounts with Foam
Chris’ first task was to cut sink mats made with custom Plastizote and Volara polyethylene foam spacers to protect the ribbons from shifting during storage. Ashleigh had previously mounted a few ribbons to museum rag mat board as models, giving him a head start and model for packaging the remaining ribbons. After adhering the polyethylene foam to the mat board with PVA, the mounts were pressed for over a week allowing them to off-gas and dry flat.
Many of the ribbons were adorned with metal parts such as metal tassels, anchors, eagles or portraits embossed on discs like coins. Using the Our Standard ribbon as our standard for mounting (see image below), the ribbons were stored similarly, but with slight variations. Our Standard was first protected within a polyethylene foam custom cut spacer. The metal eagle pin was then secured to the mat board backing with 18/3 linen thread. After looping around the pin, the thread was threaded through holes punched in the mat board backing. Tyvek tape sealed the thread knot at rear. To hold the unruly metal tassels securely to the mat, a 3/16 inch polyethylene strap was inserted into slits cut into the mat board backing and was secured on the back with Tyvek tape.
‘Our Standard’ ribbon used as a guide
Similarly, Chris mounted a Democratic metal with an anchor using 18/3 linen thread tied to the mat board mount. In addition, a scrap of a CoLibri jacket was repurposed and customized into a large polyester strap. It was placed between the metal anchor and ribbon to prevent abrasion as the anchor is affixed by a small chain and swings freely upon the ribbon.
This frayed ribbon needed protection from a metal anchor attached to a chain.
The largest item, a six-inch diameter coin with the bust of McKinley, was sewn to the mat board as previously described; however, this big old coin also came with a detached pin. Chris creatively added it to the corner with tiny spacers and polyethylene straps.
Before mountingAfter mounting
A smaller McKinley medallion was tension mounted alongside another small presidential ribbon. No other mounting solution was needed for this round object other than a circular cut-out in the foam that held the object snugly in place.
The round McKinley medallion was secured with tension inside a circular foam cutout.
Flat Ribbons vs. 3-Dimensional Ribbons
Flat silk ribbons without any added pins or components were stored flat within folders of unbuffered interleaving tissue. The folders were placed on top of unbuffered rag mat board for storage. To prevent the folders from sliding off the mat board when handled, polyethylene strapping was wrapped around the boards and adhered to itself with double stick tape (similar to strapping a book). In the future, the ribbons could be pulled out of the folders and exhibited on the provided mat board supports with the strapping.
Flat ribbons were stored in unbuffered interleaving.
Ribbons with dimensionality were stored with extra layers of foam surrounding them. The foam was built up to the height of the highest point of the object to prevent them from getting knocked during storage. Ribbons also needed interior supports to keep their shapes over time, and to prevent the fabric from flattening. In these cases, unbuffered interleaving tissue was inserted below cloth badges with pleated cloth. Rolls of polyester film were also inserted inside the loops of a black cloth ribbon. The rolled polyester film is intended for storage and can be removed for display.
Extra supports were added to badges with dimensional fabric parts.
The set of badges with extra dimension were also challenging to mount. They did not have convenient places for strapping or tying with thread. Instead, rare earth magnets were attached to the back of the mats to hold the parts in place. Weak rare earth magnets were also used on the front of Andrew Jackson’s badge. The magnets on the front were wrapped with unbuffered interleaving tissue to provide handles for lifting that can easily be removed for exhibition. Magnets on the back were covered with Tyvek tape. These magnets gave just enough hold to secure these in place for storage.
Magnets helped hold this group of badges to their support.
Buttons
In addition to ribbons, this collection had many buttons, coins and trinkets such as these:
These parts were not matted. Instead, the loose metals and coins were sealed individually in polyethylene bags. Within the bags, the pins and coins were given support with thin cardstock. Because metal objects and photographs share similar long-term preservation needs, buttons were pinned to unbuffered cardstock that is traditionally used for storing photographs. Once bagged, they were grouped together by size and type in preparation for the next phase of boxing.
Metal buttons and badges were pinned to cardstock and sealed from humidity inside baggies.
Putting It All Together As One Collection
Now that all the parts were individually protected for storage, it was time to group them together in boxes.
Ribbons were grouped together inside tuxedo boxes.
After TreatmentAfter Treatment
Mourning ephemera were housed together within a tuxedo box. Pins in honor of Lincoln’s death were stored in an envelope while ribbons were stored on mat board sink mats with polyester strapping
A corrugated banker’s box holds the bagged buttons and coins. Removable spacers make flipping and viewing the buttons easier.
A custom cloth covered clamshell holds all the parts together.
All contents of this collection were then assembled by Chris in a beautiful cloth covered clamshell. A foam bumper was added along the outer edge of the bottom tray to add space for hands to slide out the tux boxes.
